Photo report: opposing the DFLA in Manchester
Photos and reflections from Saturday’s rally of opposition to the racist Democratic Football Lads Alliance in Manchester
One year on: Manchester and English nationalism
Since last year’s bombing, Manchester’s tradition of radical politics has come to the fore again
Rock Against Racism: an interview with Ruth Gregory
Ruth Gregory, one of the organisers of the 100,000-strong Rock Against Racism carnival of 1978, talks to rs21 about anti-racist organising from then to now.
What’s next for the DFLA?
The Democratic Football Lads Alliance outnumbered antiracists at a march weekend, with a crowd that included hardened neo-Nazi activists. Where is the group going next?
Antisemitism, then and now | Part 1 of 2
David Rosenberg, of the Jewish Socialists’ Group, delves into the facts and the historical background of current discussions of antisemitism in Labour
Rocking Against Racism and other irrational ideologies
The first Rock Against Racism carnival took place forty years ago, on April 30 1978.
What is fascism?
Dave Renton delineates the types of extreme right movement and highlights the dangers of fascism’s newest form.
Appeal: support Austrian antifascists sued by fascist Freedom Party leader
Austria’s new far-right Vice Chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, is suing anti-fascists for ‘slander’. We are republishing Linkswende Jetzt’s appeal for financial support, as they fight to defend themselves against this charge. Additional reporting by Nick Evans of rs21. Heinz-Christian Strache has long-standing connections with Neo-Nazi organisations. His far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) came third in the recent Austrian general […]
Catalonia: crisis puts the working class centre-stage
Seb Cooke argues that the level of ongoing mass struggle will determine the result of the current stand-off in Catalonia. ‘It was the red vision of the revolution, which, inevitably, would one day carry them all away, on some bloody evening at the century’s approaching end.’ This is how Emile Zola describes a march of […]
Exposing the far-right in Austria’s Freedom Party
Austria prepares for elections on 15 October which are likely to result in the far-right Freedom Party helping to form the next government. Nick Evans reviews a new book documenting the extremist groups that now dominate the party. Review of: Hans-Henning Scharsach (with Christa Eveline Spitzbart), Stille Machtergreifung: Hofer, Strache und die Burschenschaften [Silent Coup: […]
A photo report on the Football Lads Alliance
Mitch Mitchell writes on Saturday’s march of the self-described “anti-extremism” group the Football Lads Alliance. Photos by Steve Eason.
Video: Breaking the silence – voices of the British children of refugees from Nazism
Merilyn Moos speaks on her book Breaking the Silence: Voices of the British children of refugees from Nazism.
Islamophobia in Europe: fuel for the far right
As the encroachment of far right parties grows throughout Europe, with the deployment of overtly racist rhetoric creating those who are deemed ‘real’ Europeans and those deemed a threat, Seb Cooke argues an authentic movement against fascism can only come from working class resistance. The far right and fascists of Europe were celebrating on Sunday […]
Review | The Rise of Hindu Authoritarianism by Achin Vanaik
Bill Crane reviews The Rise of Hindu Authoritarianism, written by Achin Vanaik as a critical response to the political developments in India following the election of the Bharatiya Janata Party to power in 2014, as well as the consequences and future travails for the Indian left. The Rise of Hindu Authoritarianism is published by Verso Books […]
Choosing or refusing to take sides in an era of right-wing populism
In the decade following the banking crash, the protracted crisis in neoliberal governance is taking a number of striking forms. Neil Davidson sets out the case for ‘rejecting the lesser evil’ option when faced with a choice between the radical right and the neoliberal centre.
Kill All Normies: a missed opportunity to analyse fascism
After the murderous gathering in Charlottesville, there’s a real need for insightful analysis of the American far right – but, argues Lisa Leak Kill All Normies fails to provide it. It’s unsurprising that many of the left on both sides of the Atlantic were excited at the publication of Kill All Normies, Angela Nagle’s new book […]
The remarkable story of Margarete Klopfleisch
rs21 member Sonja Grossner tells the story of her remarkable mother Margarete Klopfleisch, an artist and communist during the Nazi period in Germany who spent time in hiding in the UK. The full biography The Troubles to Greet Beauty is available to buy from Waterstones or Amazon. Margarete (‘Greta’) Klopfleisch (nee Grossner) was born in […]
Remembering Lewisham
Forty years ago, British fascism suffered a historic defeat, as several hundred members of the fascist National Front (NF) were successfully beaten back by thousands of socialists and local residents, despite a huge deployment of police in defence of the NF. The confrontation became known as the Battle of Lewisham. As racism and support for […]
Charlottesville is a call to action against fascism
We republish a post from the American Socialist Worker on this weekend’s deadly confrontations between the far right and anti-racists in Charlottesville, Virginia . On the spot reports are provided by Katherine Nolde, Richard Capron and Scott McLemee The far-right demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12–probably the largest public gathering of the racist “alt-right” ever–was […]
Intolerants not welcome – The Battle of Lewisham 1977
13 August 2017 will be the 40th Anniversary of the “Battle of Lewisham” when thousands of local people and other anti-racists refused to allow the fascist National Front to intimidate them with a provocative march through the community. Lewisham poet Mark ‘Mr T’ Thompson has written this poem in remembrance and celebration of the historic event. […]
Video: the global rise of the far right
A political discussion hosted by rs21 with David Renton and Jairus Banaji
Convergence on the right
Sometimes distinctions between conservatives, right-wing populists and fascists are easy to make. But increasingly often, argues Dave Renton, there is some overlap – and we have to understand today’s right wing on its own terms, not by assuming it fits the categories of the past. One theme of the last twelve months has been the […]
Keep On Keeping On! – the Redskins and me (part 2)
In the second part of his recollections on the Redskins, Colin Revolting recalls being a revolutionary during the miners’ strike and its aftermath during the Redskins’ growing popularity, including TV appearances, being attacked by fascists and touring against apartheid with their radical rock and soul music. (To read the first part of Colin’s reflections, click […]
revolutionary reflections | The KPD and the United Front during the Weimar Republic
This article by Marcel Bois was originally published in a collection of essays in German by Marx21 on the German Communist Party (KPD). It sets out the history of the United Front in Germany from the years 1920 to 1926. The United Front was a tactic developed by the Communist International in the early 1920s and this […]
The dilemma facing France: neoliberalism or neofascism?
With just over a week until the second round of the French presidential election, antiracist activist Selim Nadi reflects on how France reached this crossroads, and what the French left needs to do next to resist the rise of neofascism. Graffiti reads: ‘neither nation nor bosses, neither Le Pen nor Macron’. Photo credit: cpolitic. François […]
revolutionary reflections | Critical Theory in the Age of Trump Part 1: Organised Pessimism
The election of Trump has raised the stakes in terms of how the left should respond to the growing crises of economics, politics, ecology and geopolitics. Joe Sabatini explores the work of the Frankfurt School in this context. Photo courtesy of iamyouasheisme.wordpres.com Footnotes to this piece are included in the PDF. 20170330_Critical Theory Part 1 Methodological introduction […]
#M18: Vienna protests against racism and attacks on the right to protest
Report and photos by Nick Evans. “Stop instrumentalising us. Muslim women are fed up with being told what to wear. We want freedom to wear what we want.” The #M18 demonstration in Vienna began with speeches by Muslim women, Afghan and Syrian refugees and socialists, condemning the recent ban on the full-face ban and attacks […]
Fascism and free speech: why I’m glad the LD50 gallery is being shut down
The Shut Down LD50 campaign announced today that the fascist art gallery is now closed. Adam DC responds to the Hackney Citizen, arguing that free speech is no reason not to shut it down.
Polish government lend legitimacy to far-right speakers in Slough
Polish government’s promotion of “Cursed Soldiers” remembrance day in Slough gives legitimacy to far-right speakers among Poles in Britain and must be opposed, argues JL On Sunday, a day-long celebration of the Polish national remembrance day dedicated to the “Cursed Soldiers” will take place in Slough.1 The remembrance day, initiated in 2011, continues to cause controversy. The “Cursed […]
Demonstrate against Trump and May tonight – details of all the demonstrations that we know of
Tonight will see angry protests across Britain against Trump’s vile racist travel ban and Theresa May’s revolting invite to him for an official state visit. We list here all the demonstrations that we know of 10 days ago the Women’s Marches against the newly anointed Trump mobilised millions across the USA and the world. […]